You take the time to close the ceremony or that moment of engagement with your memories and those ancestors who are no longer with us. And you don’t leave the altar up for days, because it’s sacred. In those two days, you spend time with those memories. But, because of migration, sometimes we’re not in the places where our loved ones are buried, so you make the altars in your home.īut many people do it differently: Some people have full-on parties, and some people have a velación, or observance, which means you just honor your loved ones not necessarily with prayer, but in a solemn space. Some people, depending on where you are in the world, go to the cemetery to build their altars. You can also include a representation of the four elements, so a candle or copal-incense-for fire, a cup of water, and then the wind and earth might be represented by papel picado. The altars can be made in so many ways, but some of the core elements would be a photo of the deceased, their favorite foods, flowers. Many argue that if you remember them, they never cease to exist. Here, Téllez, who is also the department’s director of graduate studies, discusses the history, traditions, and imagery of Día de los Muertos, how the holiday has changed over millennia, and how those interested can participate:ĭía de los Muertos is an opportunity for families to create altars for their loved ones. Téllez, an associate professor in the Mexican American studies department in the University of Arizona’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, researches transnational community formations, Chicana mothering, gendered migration, and more.
The holiday’s unique symbols are ubiquitous in some locations come October: Calaveras, or skulls-often in the form of edible, decorative sugar skulls-and papel picado, pieces of colorful paper with intricately cut-out designs. Día de los Muertos is a time for people to mourn the loss of family members and friends, and to ensure they’re never forgotten, says Michelle Téllez.ĭía de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a holiday with roots in Mexico that’s now celebrated over two days, November 1 and 2, all over the world.
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